A troubling narrative surrounding the Colorado Avalanche is the organization’s seemingly shallow prospect pool.
That’s true to some extent.
The Avs lack the sort of high-end talent you see in other teams like the San Jose Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks.
As we’ve noted previously, that’s the result of a lengthy rebuild and years of stockpiling draft picks and prospects.
That aside, the Avalanche could actually have a lot more young talent that the organization gets credit for. While there may not be another Nathan MacKinnon or Cale Makar in the system at the moment, it doesn’t mean that the players coming up through the ranks are also-rans.
Let’s start with the forward group. Fedor Svechkov and Zachary L’Heureux have to be the two most tantalizing forwards at the moment. They’re both 23 and could become significant pieces for the organization. Depending on how they fit in this season, the Avalanche could have two solid, if unspectacular players who could ease the team’s transition as some veterans depart in the coming seasons.
Then, there’s the case of Gavin Brindley. Brindley is still only 21 and could become a decent middle-six winger. His path seems blocked at the moment, but who’s to say he couldn’t elbow his way into the top six this season? Artturi Lehkonen has had some injury trouble over the last couple of seasons. Meanwhile, there might be some playing time opening up with Gabriel Landeskog, Jaden Schwartz, and Nazem Kadri potentially needing some time off every so often.
Beyond Brindley, other potentially solid NHL forwards include Fabian Lysell, Georgii Merkulov, and TJ Hughes. All three could join the Avalanche at some point this season. And if they do, it could make some of the pricier vets expendable.
The blueline could become a surprising strength for Avalanche
In a perfect world, the Avalanche would have another Makar and Devon Toews coming up through the system. These prospects would naturally replenish the NHL lineup without missing a beat.
However, such players come around a couple of times in a generation. And Colorado was fortunate to snag this generation’s best.
That said, blueline prospects like Gustav Stjernberg, Sean Behrens, and Alex Gagne may look to climb up the depth chart. If they do, it could be great news for the Avalanche.
Next season, Brent Burns may not return. Josh Manson will be 35 and entering the final year of his current deal. And while the rest of the defensive corps likely remains intact, there might be two or even three spots open for competition.
That’s going to be something huge, as the Avalanche will need to restock the NHL blueline with cheaper contracts.
All told, Colorado may not have top-tier prospects ready to burst onto the NHL scene. But the guys who are coming up through the system could be good enough to help the team remain competitive in the long run.
We’ll see just how far along they have come when rookie camp begins. Who knows? There may be some interesting surprises in the days and weeks to come.
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